Absentee Voting by Military Voters and Voters who Reside Outside the U.S.

I am a military voter or I live outside the U.S. and am registered to vote in Maryland. How do I get a ballot?

There are two ways you can get an absentee ballot.

You can request one online. To get a ballot this way, you must have a Maryland driver’s license, MVA ID card, or Social Security number. There is a field where you can select that you are a military voter, spouse or dependent of a military voter, or voter who resides outside the U.S. Please look for this field and select the answer that best describes you.

What is the deadline to ask for a ballot?

For the 2014 Primary Election, your request must be received (not just mailed) by:

Tuesday, June 17, 2014, if you want to receive your ballot by mail or fax

Friday, June 20, 2014, if you want to download your ballot from the State’s website

For the 2014 General Election, your request must be received (not just mailed) by:

Tuesday, October 28, 2014, if you want to receive your ballot by mail or fax

Friday, October 31, 2014, if you want to download your ballot from the State’s website

If you miss the deadline and want to vote by absentee ballot, you or your agent must apply in person at your local board of elections. For more information about someone else picking up your ballot, go to the next question.

If your request for a ballot is rejected, your local election official will tell you why it was rejected.

Note: Maryland does not have a permanent absentee list. If you want to vote by absentee ballot, you must apply for an absentee ballot each election year.

How will I receive my absentee ballot?

You choose how you want to receive your absentee ballot. Election officials can mail or fax your ballot to you or you can download your ballot from the State’s website.

If you use the online system to request a ballot, you pick how you want to receive your ballot. On the FPCA, you check the box next to your preferred delivery method. If you want to download your ballot, make sure you clearly provide your email address.

Ballots are sent or are available for download at least 45 days before an election. If you want to download yor ballot, the State Board of Elections will send you an email when your ballot is available. The email will include a link where you can print your absentee ballot and instructions.

How do I vote my absentee ballot?

There are instructions with your ballot. Please review the instructions carefully before starting to vote.

If you download your ballot from the State’s website, you can print the blank ballot and mark your ballot by hand.

If you received your ballot by mail or fax, you need a No. 2 pencil to vote. Review your ballot before voting as your ballot may be multiple pages. Carefully fill in the oval to the left of your choice, and do not vote for more candidates than the number specified in the contest heading. If you wish, you may vote for fewer candidates than specified.

Do not sign your name or make any other mark on your ballot.

Write-in voting is only allowed in general elections. A general election ballot has spaces for write-in votes. To cast a write-in vote by hand, fill in the oval to the left of the space for the write-in vote, and write the first and last names of the person in the appropriate space.

You must mail or hand deliver your absentee ballot to your local board of elections. You cannot email or fax your voted absentee ballot or take your voted ballot to an early voting center or a polling place.

How do I return my voted ballot?

You must mail or hand deliver your voted ballot. You cannot submit your voted ballot online, return it by email or fax, or take it to an early voting center or a polling place.

To mail your ballot, it must be postmarked on or before election day and received by your local board of elections by 10 am on July 7, 2014 (primary election) and November 14, 2014 (general election).

Important Note: If you mail your ballot via a foreign mail system, you must affix the proper postage to get the ballot into the U.S. postal system. If you mail your ballot from a military post office (APO/FPO) or U.S. embassy or consulate, postage is not required.

If you hand deliver your ballot, you must deliver it to your local board of elections by 8 pm on election day.

Why does my ballot have only federal offices?

Some voters who reside outside the U.S. can vote for all federal*, state and local offices, while others can only vote for federal contests. You can vote for all federal, state, and local offices if you are a military voter or if you are a U.S. citizen, reside outside of the U.S., and are a:

Civilian employee of the U.S. Government serving outside of the United States and its territories or a spouse or dependent of this individual

Member of the American Red Cross, Society of Friends, or USO serving with the Armed Forces outside of the United States or a spouse or dependent of this individual

Other civilian voters who reside outside of the U.S. may only vote for federal offices.

* Federal offices are President/Vice-President, U.S. Senate, Representatives to the U.S. Congress, and delegates to the national conventions (primary elections only).

What if I don't get my absentee ballot in time to meet the mailing deadline?

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot is available if you:

Are a military voter or a voter who lives outside of the U.S.;

Submitted your request for an absentee ballot by the appropriate deadline; and

Can I have help voting?

Yes, if you have a disability or are unable to read or write, you may have help requesting an absentee ballot and voting. Any person can help you except:

A candidate on your ballot;

Your employer or an agent of your employer; or

An officer or agent of your union.

If you need help asking for a ballot, use Maryland’s online request system (link to OLVR) or complete the paper absentee ballot application. For the paper application, the person can help you with Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the application and must complete Part 4. If you cannot sign the application, the person helping you should print your name in Part 3 and write his or her initials after your name.

If you need help voting your ballot, the person helping you must mark the ballot according to your wishes and cannot make an effort to influence your vote. The person helping you must complete the Certification of Person Assisting Absentee Voter (provided with your absentee ballot). This certification must be returned with your voted ballot.